Florida man arrested on chop shop-related charges

TAMARAC, Fla. - A man is facing chop shop charges after investigators saw him on March 18 trying to load parts of a 2007 Kawasaki and a 2013 Yamaha into three 55-gallon drums, and arrested him.

The Kawasaki was stolen Jan. 15 and the Yamaha was taken on Valentine's Day, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

The suspect told detectives he bought the motorcycles for between $3,500 and $4,500 each and loaded them into his pickup truck, but he reportedly failed to produce titles and could not remember the names of those who sold them to him. Gayle later admitted to stealing the motorcycles to sell for parts in Jamaica, according to an arrest report cited in the Orlando Sentinel.

Detectives found parts that included the motorcycle frames with the vehicle identification numbers attached, grilles, fenders, tires and other components in the drums, the report stated.

The suspect is charged with operating a chop shop, grand theft auto and dealing in stolen property, jail records indicate.